Seychelles private foundation

Updated 6 October 2026

Open pricing. The final quote is fixed in writing before work starts.

A Seychelles private foundation is a legal entity without shareholders that holds assets for beneficiaries. It is governed by the 2009 Foundations Act as amended in 2021. Foundations are used for asset protection, estate planning and as a holding layer above family companies and accounts. It is one of the most affordable ways to set up a proper foundation: without Liechtenstein or Austrian level costs, but with clear rules and a regulator.

How a foundation works

Party or document	Role
Founder	creates the foundation and transfers assets to it, can also be a beneficiary
Council	manages the assets, one or more members, including companies
Protector	optional, oversees the council and protects beneficiaries' interests
Beneficiaries	receive distributions under the foundation's rules, not publicly disclosed
Charter	filed on registration: name, purposes, founder, agent
Regulations	a private document: who gets paid, when and how much, how beneficiaries change
Registered agent	a provider licensed in Seychelles for foundation services, which handles registration

What is allowed and what is not

A foundation can hold company shares, accounts, property, securities and other assets.
The foundation itself does not trade, except as needed for its purposes. Companies owned by the foundation can operate without restriction.
Beneficial ownership details are filed in a closed state database and not publicly disclosed.
Since 2021 a foundation must keep accounting records and hold them with its registered agent in Seychelles.

Typical structures

The foundation owns a holding company, which owns the family's operating companies and accounts. The business runs as usual, while ownership is protected and passes under the foundation's rules.
The foundation owns property through a company in the country where the property is, so the owner does not change on inheritance.
The regulations set payments for children's education, medical care and housing, and how beneficiaries change on divorce or the birth of grandchildren.

Government fees and our prices

Payment	Amount
Financial Services Authority registration fee	$200
Financial Services Authority annual fee	$200
Our registration with fee, agent and address	$2,500
Drafting the charter and regulations	from $1,330 per document
Annual maintenance with fee, agent and address	$3,300

If needed we provide a council member and a professional founder, $3,000 each. Due diligence on the parties is paid separately: a $500 base fee and $300 for each additional individual.

Registration is $200 - the charter decides who gets the assets

The law does not stop you setting up a Seychelles foundation on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: a charter under which the founder keeps control and pays tax at home, regulations with no procedure to replace the council, a foundation that trades although the law does not allow it, and a bank that will not open an account without a clear structure. Murblz specialists draft the charter and regulations for your family, provide a council member if needed, check the tax consequences and handle registration. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first application.

The cost of support depends on the foundation's structure and participants; package prices are in the table on the page, and a manager will calculate the total in the chat.

Get a support quote

How to set up a foundation: steps

Task review: which assets, who the beneficiaries are, what should happen on the founder's death or incapacity.
Due diligence on the founder and parties, proof of the source of assets.
Drafting the charter and regulations for your family.
Registration through the agent with the Financial Services Authority, usually within a few business days after checks.
Transfer of assets: company shares, accounts, property.
Annual maintenance: fee, accounts, updating beneficial ownership details.

Taxes and owners' reporting

The tax consequences of a foundation are determined above all by the country where the founder and beneficiaries live. In many countries a foundation effectively controlled by the founder is treated as their controlled structure and must be reported to the tax authority. We check the structure before the foundation is created so it does not lead to unexpected taxes.

What we do

Murblz specialists review the family's task, draft the charter and regulations, register the foundation through a licensed agent, provide a council member if needed, help transfer the assets and handle annual maintenance and accounts. If a trust or a foundation in another country suits your task better, we say so at once. All prices are in the table below.

Fees

Service	Price
Foundation registration (state duty + registered agent + legal address)	$2 500
Drafting the foundation Charter	from $1 330
Drafting the foundation Regulations	from $1 330
Compliance fee - base rate	$500
Compliance fee - each additional individual	$300
Compliance fee - legal entity administered by Murblz	$300
Compliance fee - external legal entity	$400
Compliance fee - document signing	$200
Annual maintenance (duty + agent + address)	$3 300
Foundation council member services, per year	$3 000
Power of attorney from a council member	$660
Professional founder services, per year	$3 000
Bank account opening assistance	from $2 110
Company with special articles (unregulated closed-end fund) registration	from $5 290
Subscription agreement drafting	from $2 380
Shareholders agreement drafting	from $4 310

We will calculate online the cost of setting up the structure and running it for a year.

Calculate online

FAQ

Why does a foundation need both a charter and regulations?

The charter is filed on registration and contains the basics: name, purposes, founder, agent. The regulations are private: they set the rules for distributions and changing beneficiaries. This keeps the family's affairs confidential.

Who manages a Seychelles foundation?

A council of one or more members, including companies. A protector can be appointed to oversee the council. If needed we provide a professional council member.

Can a foundation run a business?

The foundation itself does not trade, except as needed for its purposes. But it can own companies, and they operate without restriction.

What are a foundation's regular costs?

A $200 annual government fee, agent services, the address and accounts. Our annual maintenance with the fee, agent and address is $3,300.

Are beneficiaries disclosed?

Not publicly. The details are filed in a closed state database accessible only to authorised bodies.

How long does setting up a foundation take?

Drafting the charter and regulations and checking the parties take one to two weeks, and registration through the agent a few business days after checks. Transferring assets depends on the banks and countries where they are held.

How much does setting up a foundation with your help cost?

Registration with the fee, agent and address is $2,500, and the charter and regulations start at $1,330 each. You can calculate the exact amount for your structure online in the chat with a consultant.